Roof truss fabrication apparatus

ABSTRACT

Elements of a roof truss, including top and bottom chord members, web members, and barbed connector plates, are assembled into truss configuration. The steps of the method include: A. LOCATING THE CHORD MEMBERS AND WEB MEMBERS IN TRUSS CONFIGURATION, WITH THE WEB MEMBERS LOCATED BETWEEN THE CHORD MEMBERS, B. LOCATING SAID PLATES AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TRUSS IN OVERLAPPING RELATION TO JOINTS BETWEEN THE CHORD AND WEB MEMBERS, C. RELATIVELY CLAMPING THE CHORD MEMBERS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AND TOWARD THE WEB MEMBERS AND RESTRAINING THE WEB MEMBERS TO RECEIVE CLAMPING FORCE TRANSMITTED TO END PORTIONS THEREOF BY THE CHORD MEMBERS, AND D. SIMULTANEOUSLY RELATIVELY URGING CONNECTOR PLATES TOWARD THE CLAMPED AND RESTRAINED CHORD AND WEB MEMBERS THEREBY TO ADVANCE THE PLATE BARBS INTO SAID MEMBERS AT OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF THEREBY INTERCONNECTING THE WEB AND CHORD MEMBERS AT SAID JOINTS.

United States atent [191 Scott [451 Sept. 30, 1975 1 1 ROOF TRUSS FABRICATION APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Robert 1. Scott, 1728 Wayne St.,

Pomona, Calif. 91767 221 Filed: June 12, 1974 211 Appl.No.:478,465

[52] US. Cl. 227/152; 29/432; lOO/DIG. 13 [51] Int. Cl. B25C 7/00 [58] Field of Search 227/152; 29/4321, 432,

29/526,200 P, 200 J, 464, 155 R; 144/2886; 269/321 F; lOO/DIG. l3, DIG. 17

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,207,406 9/1965 Bowman 227/152 3,255,943 6/1966 Sanford..... 227/152 3,390,627 7/1968 Levkovitz 100/41 3,599,562 8/1971 Hutchens 227/152 X 3,693,542 9/1972 Moehlcnpah. 227/152 X 3,713,381 1/1973 Mort et al 227/152 X 3,837,274 9/1974 Zaccard 227/152 X Primary E.\'uminerVictor A. Di Palma Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William W. Haefliger 5 7 ABSTRACT Elements of a roof truss, including top and bottom chord members, web members, and barbed connector plates, are assembled into truss configuration. The steps of the method include:

a. locating the chord members and web members in truss configuration, with the web members located between the chord members,

b. locating said plates at opposite sides of the truss in overlapping relation to joints between the chord and web members,

c. relatively clamping the-chord members toward one another and toward the web members and restraining the web members to receive clamping force transmitted to end portions thereof by the chord members, and

d. simultaneously relatively urging connector plates toward the clamped and restrained chord and web members thereby to advance the plate barbs into said members at opposite sides thereof thereby interconnecting the web and chord members at said joints.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of3 3,908,885

I a a US. atent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,908,885

VIIIIIIIIIJ I Y Ii 8 1 ROOF TRUSS FABRICATION APPARATUS BACKGROUND. OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the fabrication of trusses, and more particularly concerns apparatus and method facilitating very rapid and efficient assembly of truss chord and web members, and connector plates, and in selected and adjustable configurationsz' There is a constant need or requirement for reducing the expense and cost of fabrication of roof trusses, as

for example are used in constructing mobile homesqA large portion of this cost has been due to necessary labor involved in laying out the truss components and then connecting them. This procedureis time consumb. clamping means for relatively clamping the chord members toward one another and toward the web members, and structure to restrain the web members to receive clamping force transmitted to end portions thereof by the chord members, and c. urging means to relatively urge the plates toward the clamped and restrained chord and' web members thereby to advance the plate barbs'into said members at opposite sides thereoffor interconnecting the web and chord members at side joints. As will be seen, the support means typically includes lower yieldable platens to be bodily displaced as the connector plate barbs are urged into the chord and web members, the plates being oriented by the platens at the ends of lower plungers'; and the'urging means in. cludes upper plungers located above the joints to urge upper connector plates downwardly, such plates being held against the upper plungers. Also, upper yieldable platens may be provided to orient the "upper plates. Further, the truss clamping means may include multiple actuators spaced along the length of the truss, and adjustable lengthwise thereof as by adjustable carriages, allowing use for different web and chordconfigurations; further, chord and web restraints may also'be shiftable in similar manner to facilitate variationin truss design without sacrifice of clamping benefits.

These and other objects and advantages of theinvention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following description and drawings,in which;

DRAWING DESCRIPTION FIG. I is a front elevation of apparatus embodying the invention; 1

FIG. 2 is a left end elevation of the FIG. 1 apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a right end elevation of the FIGil apparatus; I

FIG. 4 is a plan view on lines 4-4 of FIG. 1;

-'side of thetruss 10, in FIG.-9.

FIGfSi'an enlarged section taken in'elevation on lines 55'of FIG. 4; FIG, 6 isa' plan view on lines 66 of FIG. 5;

' FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical section like that of FIG. 5, but showing interconnection of truss components by a barbed fastener;

FIG. 8 is an elevation showing details of a barbed fastener; and

FIG. 9 is perspective view of a finished truss.

. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. 9, a typical or representative truss 10 assembled or'fabricated by means of the apparatus and method of the invention'includes top and bottom wooden chord members 11 and 12, end web members l3 and 14, and diagonal web'members 15-18. In

' this regard; other forms and arrangements of webmembers may be utilized, those illustrated being merely representativ'e. The truss 10 also incorporates barbed conne-ctor or fastener plates*19d '19g, of'different sizes, the plates typically having the general construction as seen at 19' in FIG: 8. As-there shown, a typical plate includes a fl'atjmetallic base'2 0 from which elongated metallic barbs 21 are struck, leaving openings 22 in the base.

See also the'corres'ponding openings 22d in plate 19d and openings 22'e in'pl'ate l9e, in FIG. 6. A corresponding series *of plates'l9iz -19g is provided at the opposite In accordance with the invention, the apparatus for fabricating the truss comprises support means for-recelving and locating the chord and web members in truss configuration, with the web members located between the chord members. Referring to FIGS. 5-7,

such support means may advantageously include first platens 24 located proximate and beneath the joints be- 93 against plates 26. The latter are bolted at 28a to carriages 28 which are in turn adjustably supported on longitudinally elongated, horizontal parallel rails 29 and 30, as by bolts 31 and clips 32-, so as to be shiftable lengthwise of the rails to selected web and chord joint positions for different truss configurations. FIG. I

'shows vertical and diagonal frame members 33' and 34 supporting such rails. The rails also support overhead bin structure 35, as via uprights 36, for storing the wooden chord and web members pre-cut to desired lengths, so that an operator may easily obtain or select the'chord and Web members'to be placed on the supports, as described. See for example web members 15 in bin 35a, in FIG. 1.

" Further in accordance with the invention, clamping means is provided for relatively clamping the chord mer'n'bers toward one another and toward the web members; also', restraint structure operates to restrain the web members against angular deflection so as to re- "ceive clamping from transmitted to end portions of the web members by the chord members. As will be seen,

this facilitates plate interconnection of the truss and web members while they are tightly interengaged in desiredconfiguration. FIGS. 4 and 6 show typical clamping actuators'36-38, which include fluid pressure cylinders 39 and plungers 40, the latter having heads or pushers 40a engageable with chord member 11 to simultaneously urge it toward chord member 12; further, the heads 40a are proximate the joints locations 42 and 43, the former typically defined as the locus of interengagement of the ends of webs 16 and 17 and the inner side of chord member 1 1. Joint location 43 is typically defined as the locus of interengagement of the end of web member 18 and the inner side of chord 1 1. The restraint structure may typically include upstanding abutments or shoulders 44-46 on the platens 24 which seat the chord member 12, shoulder 44 located at the rear of the joint 47, shoulder 45 at the rear ofjoint 48, and shoulder 46 at the rear of web member 14. Joint 47 is defined as the locus of interengagement of the ends of webs and 16 and the inner side of chord member 12, and joint 48 is defined as the locus of interengagement of the ends of webs 17 and 18 and the inner side of chord 12. Additional restraints 71-77 are shown along the lengths of the webs 15-18 to hold them in angular position during clamp-up, while allowing some lengthwise shifting, of the webs, those restraints carried by the plates 27. Further, the restraints are adjustably shiftable lengthwise of the chord members to different positions as determined by plates 27 to define different web member angles relative to the chord members, for different truss designs. Tightening of bolts 31 fixes such configurations following carriage shift adjustment; also, the plates 27 may be shifted laterally along the carriages, and to selected positions, after which bolts 280 may be tightened to fix plates 27 in position. Note bolt clamped straps 90 at the undersides of the carriages. Also note in this regard that the carriages 28 carrying the actuators and restraints at the back side of chord 12 are arranged in alternating relation lengthwise of the truss; thus, carriage 28 for actuator 36 is located between carriages 28 for back restraints 44 and 45; and carriage 28 for actuator 37 is located between carriages 28 for back restraints 45 and 46.

A further feature of the invention concerns the provision of urging means to relatively urge the connector plates toward the clamped and restrained chord and web members, thereby to advance the connector plate barbs into the members at opposite sides thereof, for interconnecting the web and chord members at the joints. See in this regard the upper and lower connector plates 19d in FIG. 7, whose barbs have been simultaneously forced into the members 17 and 12.

In the example, the urging means may advantageously include plungers 56 and 57 at opposite sides of each of the joints as defined above; thus certain plungers 56 may be located above the joints and may incorporate permanent magnets therein to magnetically hold certain of the connector plates 19d placed against the downward facing ends or undersides of those plungers, i.e. in positions to be advanced downwardly toward the chord and web members, as in FIG. 5. Second or upper platens 58 may be operatively connected with the upper plungers 56, as via springs 59 attached to flanges 60 integral with the plungers. Platens 58 form openings 61 to receive and loosely fit the upper connector plates 19, to orient the latter when placed in position against the magnetic upper plungers, minimizing the time needed to place the plates in position. Platens 58 are also located to engage the upper sides of the chord and web members in response to urging of the connector plates toward those members. Such urging may be effected by actuators 62, which may include air cylinders 63, and plungers 64 attached to the plungers 56. Goosenecks 65 support the actuators, and are carried by carriages 28.

It will also be noted that the lower platens 24 form openings 66 to receive and loosely fit the lower connector plates 19, thereby to orient them when placed in position against the lower plungers 57, as is clear from FIGS. 5. and 7. Platens 24 and 58 yield as the plate barbs are driven into the web and chord members, as seen in FIG. 7; also, platen 24 moves downwardly relative to plunger 57, which means that the truss itself located directly between the platens also moves relatively downwardly. Such motion is accommodated by the clamp-up mechanism as by pivoting the actuators 36-38 about axes 71 at horizontal pivots seen in FIG. 6, to allow the heads 40a to swing downwardly somewhat while clamping force is continually transmitted to the truss.

A push button seen in FIG. 1 operates a valve 81 supplying compressed air to all actuators 62, as via manifold 82. Compressed air to raise actuator plungers is supplied via manifold 83. Suitable means may also supply compressed air to actuators 36 38, as described.

Finally, a power driven cut-off saw may be provided at the narrow, or outer end of the truss, to cut-off the overhanging ends of the chords 11 and 12. Saw 90 is pivoted at 91 to be swung down, as by handle 92, for such cutting. Pivot 91 is carried by the end carriage 28.

FIG. 9 also shows an optional connector 94 interconnecting chord 11 and web 17.

In operation, the method of the invention involves the following basic steps:

a. locating the chord members and web members in truss configuration, with the web members located between the chord members,

b. locating the connector plates at opposite sides of the truss in overlapping relation to joints between the chord and web members,

c. relatively clamping the chord members toward one another and toward the web members and restraining the web members to receive clamping force transmitted to end portions thereof by the chord members, and

d. simultaneously relatively urging connector plates toward the clamped and restrained chord and web members thereby to advance the plate barbs into said members at opposite sides thereof thereby interconnecting the web and chord members at said joints.

Further, and as explained above, the truss is yieldably and web members in truss configuration, the web members located between the chord members,

b. clamping means for relatively clamping the chord members toward one another and toward the web members, and structure to restrain the web members to receive clamping force transmitted to end portions thereof by the chord members, and

c. urging means to relatively urge the plates toward the clamped and restrained chord and web members thereby to advance the plate barbs into said members at opposite sides thereof for interconnecting the web and chord members at said joints, (1. said support means including first yieldable platens located proximate said joints to be bodily displaced normal to the plane of the truss during said plate urging step.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said urging means includes plungers at opposite sides of the joints.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein certain of said plungers are located above said joints, and there being magnetic means associated with said certain plungers to magnetically hold certain of the connector plates at the undersides of said certain plungers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including second yieldable platens operatively connected with said certain plungers, and forming openings to receive said certain plates, said second platens located to engage the chord and web members in response to said urging of the plates toward the clamped and restrained chord and web members.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises multiple actuators spaced lengthwise along at least one of the chord members at locations proximate end portions of the web members.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including means pivotally supporting said actuators to swing in the direction of joing bodily displacement during said plate urging step.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including carriages supporting said actuators for adjustable movement lengthwise of said chord members.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said structure to restain the web members include restraints on supports shiftable lengthwise of the chord members, said restraints located at opposite, sides of web members to block angular displacement of the web members while allowing lengthwise shifting thereof during said relative clamping of the chord members.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 including means to cutoff the ends of said chord members, said means carried by one of said carriages. 

1. Apparatus for fabricating a roof truss that includes top and bottom chord members, web members and barbed connector plates, comprising a. support means for receiving and locating the chord and web members in truss configuration, the web members located between the chord members, b. clamping means for relatively clamping the chord members toward one another and toward the web members, and structure to restrain the web members to receive clamping force transmitted to end portions thereof by the chord members, and c. urging means to relatively urge the plates toward the clamped and restrained chord and web members thereby to advance the plate barbs into said members at opposite sides thereof for interconnecting the web and chord members at said joints, d. said support means including first yieldable platens located proximate said joints to be bodily displaced normal to the plane of the truss during said plate urging step.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said urging means includes plungers at opposite sides of the joints.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein certain of said plungers are located above said joints, and there being magnetic means associated with said certain plungers to magnetically hold certain of the connector plates at the undersides of said certain plungers.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 including second yieldable platens operatively connected with said certain plungers, and forming openings to receive said certain plates, said second platens located to engage the chord and web membErs in response to said urging of the plates toward the clamped and restrained chord and web members.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises multiple actuators spaced lengthwise along at least one of the chord members at locations proximate end portions of the web members.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 including means pivotally supporting said actuators to swing in the direction of joing bodily displacement during said plate urging step.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 including carriages supporting said actuators for adjustable movement lengthwise of said chord members.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said structure to restain the web members include restraints on supports shiftable lengthwise of the chord members, said restraints located at opposite sides of web members to block angular displacement of the web members while allowing lengthwise shifting thereof during said relative clamping of the chord members.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 including means to cut-off the ends of said chord members, said means carried by one of said carriages. 